Category: Mystery

The Poison Pen by Paige Shelton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a Series, Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

The Poison Pen (A Scottish Bookshop Mystery, 9)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #9
Publication Date: 4/9/24
Period: Contemporary Edinburgh
Number of Pages: 304

This was a fun read featuring mayhem, murder, stolen treasure, and a hoarder who thinks she is the rightful heir to the English throne. 😊 When Delaney Nichols left Kansas and moved to Scotland for a job at the Cracked Spine Bookstore, she didn’t expect to fall totally in love with the country, the job, and the handsome tavern owner, Tom, across the street. The very wealthy bookshop owner, Edwin, doesn’t just own a bookstore. He owns an extensive group of collectibles – some exceedingly valuable, some sentimental, and some just because. It is Delaney’s job to catalog that collection and to get it organized.

One of Edwin’s old flames, Jolie Lannister, asks Edwin to come to her estate, West Rosebud House, to evaluate a sword found on her estate. Edwin asks Delaney to go in his place and make the evaluation – because if the sword is what Jolie thinks it is, they are in a conundrum. Edwin would want it very, very much – yet – according to Scotland’s laws – they should turn it over to the Treasure Trove Unit of the government. What to do? What to do? There is no need to worry about that because before Delaney leaves the estate, there has been a murder, and the police have been called. Oops!

Delaney, of course, cannot contain her curiosity about all of the people involved – and the murder. Before the end, we have the full complement of characters – Tom, Rosie, Hamlet, Joshua, Artair, and Edwin working to solve the case along with Inspector Winters. Is the villain the lawyer who seems a bit shady? Is it the auction house owner? Is it the new director of the Treasure Trove Unit? Is it Jolie or someone from the estate? Is it none of them? Is it all of them? Is it some mixture? Oh! My! Goodness!!!  To find out who did it and why, you’ll have to read this fun and entertaining book.

I can recommend this book and this series, and I hope you’ll read it and love it as much as I did. Happy Reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dying To Bake by Helen Golden – #BlogTour

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Blog Tour, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

Book Blurb

Bake Off Wars is back! Get your aprons on and let the sleuthing begin!

Vera Bolt, Queen of Bakes, dies unexpectedly aged 66

In a shocking announcement this afternoon, Vera Bolt’s agent confirmed that the Bake Off Wars judge and national treasure died yesterday. Ms Bolt was in the process of filming the next series of the hugely popular television show at Francis Court, the home of the King’s sister and her family. It’s believed that the renowned pastry chef was stabbed in the heart, and the main suspect is rumoured new royal girlfriend, Summer York. What am I supposed to do? Lady Beatrice has promised DCI Richard Fitzwilliam that she won’t get involved in the investigation into Vera Bolt’s death. But when her brother’s new love interest, Summer York, becomes the top suspect in Vera’s murder, Fred begs Bea to find out who the real killer is. In a race against time, can Bea navigate a labyrinth of secrets and lies, evade danger, and safeguard her friendship with Fitzwilliam? The answer may determine not only Summer’s innocence but also the fate of Bea’s and Fitzwilliam’s burgeoning feelings for each other.

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Author Bio

Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in a small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my stepdaughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my stepson, and our tortoise. I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it. It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes.

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Barbara’s Review

It seems those Bake Off shows just can’t catch a break.  The latest series of Bake Off Wars is being filmed at Francis Court estate, a compound that is home to Her Royal Highness Princess Helen and her husband, their son Fred, and their daughter Beatrice, widowed Countess of Rossex.  The filming has only made it through one episode before one of the judges is murdered.  Oops!  The victim, sixty-six-year-old Vera Bolt, is not well-loved on the set, so there is a plethora of suspects.

With Richard Fitzwilliam still recuperating from the gunshot wound he received in an earlier case, a new detective is assigned from the special force that is responsible for protecting the royals.  DCI Hayden Saunders is a man with a chip on his shoulder and he doesn’t appreciate help or input from anyone – even a royal.  Oops!

Bea and her best friend and business partner, Perry Juke, swear to stay out of the investigation – and they keep to that vow until it becomes personal.  The disagreeable DCI Saunders almost immediately zeroes in on Summer York who is a presenter on the show – and Bea’s brother’s girlfriend.  When Fred asks for help – how can they say no?

This is another excellent addition to this author’s A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series.  The characters are warm and inviting and feel more and more like family with each new book – especially with the lovable West Highland Terrier, Daisy.  I was so excited to see the relationship between Fitzwilliam and Bea take a significant step forward and I will be looking forward to the next book to see the progress there.  The mystery was excellently plotted and there were plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing until the end.  While this can be read as a standalone book, I highly recommend reading the series in order from the beginning to get the full feel for the characters and their relationships.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.